A NEW music festival will take over a recently reopened pub tomorrow but you might have to go down a bit of a rabbit hole to get there.

The inaugural Rabbit Hole festival will be held at South Hinksey’s General Eliott pub from 1pm to midnight, with a line-up of local talent all free of charge.

The General Eliott, the village’s only pub, was closed for five years before villagers Helen and Cass Hazlewood brought it back to life just before Christmas.

Sandwiched between the Oxford to Didcot railway line and meadows on one side and the Oxford ring road on the other, South Hinksey can be accessed from the A34 or by walking from Abingdon Road using the footbridge off Lake Street over Hinksey Lake.

Organiser Ed Reckitt, who will be playing with his own band The Wonder Rabbits, said he wanted to bring a touch of “Wonderland” to one of Oxford’s best-kept secrets.

He said: “We’ve got a wonderful line-up, it’s a free and child-friendly festival, and all in the genial garden of the General Eliott.

“I love live music and I’ve always wanted to put on a live music event. The over-riding factor is that I am doing it for the passion, to share live music with others and to promote and support the talented local artists that we have in Oxford.”

The pub is staging a beer festival alongside, with 15 real ales and ciders and 12 gins to sample, along with a hog roast, pizza oven and Tibetan treats.

Mr Reckitt said he was inspired to create Rabbit Hole after he put on a miniature festival in a private garden last year.

He said: “Although it was a glorified garden party, it had a great festival feel.

“I thought 40 people might come, but we had twice that, with the only criticism being that the venue was too small.”

Alongside established local bands, Rabbit Hole will also feature an open-mic-style Cheshire Cat stage.

While free, visitors will be asked to make donations to South Oxford’s Hog Acre Common community garden and Oxford Friend, which supports the city’s gay community.

Mr Reckitt said if this year’s festival went well he hoped it could be turned into a yearly event.

* For more festival details, see rabbitholemusicevents.co.uk